Determination of Nutrient Intake and Dietary Antioxidant Capacity in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Case-Control Study.
Autistic kids eat fewer antioxidants and key nutrients, but adult brain chemistry stays normal.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Çıtar Dazıroğlu et al. (2024) compared 50 autistic kids and teens with 50 matched non-autistic peers.
They weighed every bite for three days and ran blood tests for antioxidant power.
What they found
The autistic group ate 30 % less total antioxidant capacity.
They also missed calcium, vitamin D, and omega-3 fats.
Picky eating explained most of the gap.
How this fits with other research
Esteban-Figuerola et al. (2019) pooled 18 earlier studies and saw the same shortfalls, so the pattern is solid.
Nijs et al. (2016) scanned adult brains and found normal glutathione levels, even though these kids eat fewer antioxidants.
The studies don’t clash: diet can be low while adult brain chemistry stays balanced.
Why it matters
You can spot low antioxidant and nutrient intake with a simple food log.
Add a chewable multi-vitamin or sneak in fortified oat milk and canned salmon.
Track skin, sleep, and stool for quick wins you can share with parents.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutrient intake and dietary antioxidant capacity of children and adolescents with ASD. The study included 38 children and adolescents with ASD aged 6-18 years and 38 gender and age-matched peers without ASD. Caregivers of participants who met inclusion criteria completed a questionnaire form, three-day food consumption record and antioxidant nutrient questionnaire. There were 26 (68.4%) boys and 12 (31.6%) girls in both groups and mean age of participants with and without ASD was 10.9 ± 4.03 years versus 11.1 ± 4.09 years, respectively. The average intake of carbohydrates, vitamin D, calcium, sodium and selenium was lower in participants with ASD than in participants without ASD (p < 0.05). In both groups, dietary fiber, vitamin D, potassium, calcium and selenium intake insufficiency were high, and there was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of carbohydrate, omega 3, vitamin D and sodium intake insufficiency. Considering the antioxidant intakes of the participants, the median value of dietary antioxidant capacity from food consumption record of participants with and without ASD was 3.2 (1.9) mmol versus 4.3 (1.9) mmol, respectively, whereas the dietary antioxidant capacity from antioxidant nutrient questionnaire was 3.5 (2.9) mmol versus 4.8 (2.7) mmol, respectively (p < 0.05). It is predicted that providing nutritional counseling and regulation of diet, especially keeping the antioxidant capacity of diets high, may be effective in reducing some of the symptoms of ASD.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2024 · doi:10.1007/s00406-004-0456-7